Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that [were] over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and [to] every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.
Then were the king's {H4428} scribes {H5608} called {H7121} on the thirteenth {H7969}{H6240} day {H3117} of the first {H7223} month {H2320}, and there was written {H3789} according to all that Haman {H2001} had commanded {H6680} unto the king's {H4428} lieutenants {H323}, and to the governors {H6346} that were over every province {H4082}, and to the rulers {H8269} of every people {H5971} of every province {H4082} according to the writing {H3791} thereof, and to every people {H5971} after their language {H3956}; in the name {H8034} of king {H4428} Ahasuerus {H325} was it written {H3789}, and sealed {H2856} with the king's {H4428} ring {H2885}.
The king's secretaries were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month. They wrote down all Haman's orders to the king's army commanders and governors in all the provinces and to the officials of every people, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language; everything was written in the name of King Achashverosh and sealed with the king's signet ring.
On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of each people, in the script of each province and the language of every people. It was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the royal signet ring.
Then were the king’s scribes called in the first month, on the thirteenth day thereof; and there was written according to all that Haman commanded unto the king’s satraps, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and it was sealed with the king’s ring.
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1 Kings 21:8
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed [them] with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that [were] in his city, dwelling with Naboth. -
Esther 1:22
For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that [it] should be published according to the language of every people. -
Daniel 6:15
Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians [is], That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. -
Ezra 8:36
And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God. -
Daniel 6:12
Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask [a petition] of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing [is] true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. -
Daniel 6:8
Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. -
Esther 8:2
And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
Esther 3:12 details the critical moment when Haman's genocidal decree against the Jews was officially drafted and disseminated throughout the vast Persian Empire. This verse underscores the swift and absolute nature of royal authority in ancient Persia, setting the stage for the dramatic events that follow in the Book of Esther.
Context
Following his promotion by King Ahasuerus and Mordecai's refusal to bow to him, Haman became filled with wrath and conceived a plan not just to punish Mordecai, but to annihilate all Jewish people throughout the kingdom (see Esther 3:6). This verse describes the immediate execution of that sinister plot. On the thirteenth day of the first month (Nisan), just after the lot (pur) was cast to determine the date for the massacre, the king's scribes were summoned. They meticulously recorded Haman's commands, which were then dispatched to every corner of the empire, ensuring the decree's wide reach and official sanction.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "according to all that Haman had commanded" signifies the precise and comprehensive nature of the decree. The scribes were not merely taking dictation; they were formalizing a detailed edict that included specific instructions for the destruction of the Jewish people. The act of being "sealed with the king's ring" (Hebrew: tabba'at hammelekh) was crucial, as it legally bound the decree and made it unalterable, a significant plot point later in the book when a counter-decree is needed.
Practical Application
This verse serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked power and the devastating consequences of hatred. It highlights how quickly a malicious plot can gain official sanction when those in authority are indifferent or complacent. For believers, it also subtly points to the sovereign hand of God at work, even when not explicitly mentioned. Though the decree seemed irreversible, God was already preparing Esther to rise for such a time as this, demonstrating that even the most formidable human decrees are subject to divine Providence.